If leaders Colchester are the surprise package in League One, then Chesterfield aren't that far behind, with the Spireites currently occupying sixth place in the table. It was widely predicted that Roy McFarland's men would find life tough this term but the pre-season pundits have been proved wrong and Chesterfield now have their sights firmly set on a play-off spot. Givemefootball's Mark Shail got the thoughts of veteran goalkeeper Carl Muggleton in the aftermath of last Saturday's 2-2 home draw against Walsall.
Q:WERE YOU PLEASED WITH THAT POINT AT THE WEEKEND?
A:I wouldn't say we were pleased because you always look to win your home games but, having been behind twice in the match, I suppose it was a decent result. We didn't play particularly well but the fact that we are still picking up points when we are not at our best is a good sign. However, we've drawn too many games of late and we really need to start finding the winning habit again.
Q:YOU MUST BE HAPPY WITH THE LEAGUE POSITION THOUGH?
A:Yes we are. We've had good starts for the past couple of years but fallen away after Christmas. We didn't start particularly well this year but we've got a much more balanced squad this time round and that should help us in the long run.
Q:THE CLUB SEEMS TO HAVE A NICE BLEND OF YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE?
A:We have and I think that's important. The likes of myself and Wayne Allison are always there to offer a bit of help to the younger players. But to be fair to the young lads, they have done all what has been asked of them so far and they are learning all the time.
Q:ARE YOU SURPRISED TO SEE THE LIKES OF TRANMERE, BRISTOL CITY AND NOTTINGHAM FOREST WHERE THEY ARE IN THE TABLE?
A:I am a bit surprised because the last few years clubs like Tranmere and Bristol City have been up there challenging for promotion. But both those teams lost a number of key players in the summer and, in the case of Bristol City, they've changed their manager as well so maybe they are taking a little bit of time to adjust. On the other hand, we've had a fairly settled squad for the last few seasons –which has given us some stability and continuity.
Q:ARE THE PLAY-OFFS THE TARGET THIS SEASON?
A:They have to be now. We've been in and around the top six for quite some time and if we can keep picking up points there's no reason why we can't achieve that goal. We need to keep taking things game by game and who knows? We might just do it.
Q:YOU’VE BEEN ON THE BENCH FOR MOST OF THE SEASON, HAS THAT BEEN FRUSTRATING?
A:It has because every footballer wants to play well but Barry Roche has been doing well and I'll continue to support him as much as I can. If he wasn't playing well and the team was struggling I'd have good reason to go and knock on the manager's door, but that hasn't been the case this season.
Q:YOU'RE 37 NOW, HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO CARRY ON PLAYING?
A:For as long as I can. I feel very fit at the moment and I'm enjoying training as much as I ever have – when you get that bit older I think you appreciate things a bit more. I honestly feel that if I can stay fit I can continue playing for another three or four years.
